Donald mckenzie



No. 751,542. PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904. D. MGKENZIE. FINGER GUIDE FOR PENHOLDERS OR THE LIKE.

, APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented. February 9, 1904.

PATENT I F E. 2 11.

DONALD MCKENZIE, OF DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

FINGER-GUIDE FOR-P ENHOLDERS OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,542, dated February 9, 1904. v Application filed April 22, 1903. Serial No. 153,841. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, DONALD MCKENZIE, school teacher, of Dunedin,New Zealand, have invented a certain new and useful Finger- Guide for Penholders or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a device for attachment to penholders and the like for the purpose of guiding or directing and holding in a correct position the forefinger of a person learning to write. It is especially useful for young children who are inclined to bend unduly the forefinger at the middle joint, which leads to a cramped and awkward style of writing. The

device keeps this middle joint close to or within a short distance of the penholder'or pencil and prevents the forefinger from being moved too near the point of the pen or penoil, and yet it allows the joint to have sufiicient freedom of movement to afford ease in Writing. The invention consists of a ring of somewhat larger diameter than the forefinger at the middle joint and preferably broad enough to cover the finger a little on each side of that joint. The ring is shaped like the frustum of a cone to correspond with the shape of the finger. Preferably integral with the ring there is a second small ring or band or clip adapted to fit on a penholder or pencil and secure the finger-ring thereto, and attached,preferably, to the larger ring is a strip with a curved piece at the free end, said strip being adapted to lie along the pen or pencil.

The device is cut or stamped in one piece from a sheet of metal.

' In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure 1 is a plan of asheet of metal stamped or cut so that when it is rolled together it will form thedevice. Fig. 2 is an end view illustrating the piece of metal rolled up for use. Fig. 3 is a side view of same. Fig. 4 is a view of the device in use on a penholder. Fig. 5 illustrates the invention in another form; I

The piece of metal stamped or cut to form the device consists of a narrow short portion 1, joining another broad and larger portion 2 'opening them out.

- at an obtuse angle, so that when coiled up, as

shown in Fig. 2, the broader and larger portion will form the larger ring to receive the finger and the narrower and shorter portion will form the small ring to receive and grip the penholder or pencil. The large ring 2 lies at an angle with the small ring or clip 1 when in place, so as to hold the finger in a proper position. By reason of the coiled formation of the rings they are adjustable in size, so as to fit, respectively, the finger and the penholder or pencil by squeezing them in or There is also a strip 3 preferably formed integral with portions 1 and '2 and at about right angles to the latter, terminating in a hook or curved portion 4:, which assumes the position shown in Fig. 2 at 4 when rolled together, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The small ring 1 of the device is slipped on the pencil or penholder 5, so that the curved I end 4: of the piece 3 is slightly behind the barrel 6, that holds the pen. The spring in the ring 1 causes it to grip the penholder or pencil firmly.

The forefinger 7 is thrust through the ring 2 until the point of that finger abuts against the curved end 4 of the strip 8, and the pen is 1. A finger-guide for penholders' and the like consisting of a large ring adapted to be placed round the middle joint of the forefinger, a smaller ring attached to said large ring and adapted to be placed round a penholder and the like and a strip provided-with a curved end attached to said large ring substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A blank for forming a finger-guide for pens, &c. ,comprisin g a strip having a main portion adapted to form the finger-grip, a second In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my fiofiion aclalpted to form thebgrip for the pelnhand in presence of two Witnesses.

0 er {LDC Jeing set at an 0 tuse ang e to t 1e r r r main portion and a third portion adapted to DONALD MCkEN/JIE' 5 form the holder for the finger-tip, the last- WVitnesses:

mentioned portion being set at right angles to A. J. PARK, said main portion, substantially as described. J. R. PARK. 

